Snake rapist sentenced to 25 years prison and lifetime extended supervision

One of two men who were found guilty of raping a woman with a live snake last fall was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment by Eau Claire County Judge Paul Lenz on Tuesday, May 24, 2011. 24 year old John Bullock, of Altoona, earned the sentence after a jury convicted him and 25 year old Damonta Jones of Eau Claire, WI of two counts of 1st degree sexual assault last month.

According to the criminal complaint:

The woman told police she was at Jones' residence in the early morning hours of Nov. 11 with Jones, Bullock and two friends.The group was drinking alcohol and dancing. At one point, one of the friends left the residence while the second went to take a shower. Jones then invited the woman into a bedroom to see his children's pictures.

When she walked into the bedroom the woman said she was struck in the head with an unknown object and thrown on the floor before blacking out. The woman said she remembered Jones holding her while Bullock sexually assaulted her. She said she later was sexually assaulted with a live snake.
Bullock told police he had sexual contact with the woman but that it was consensual.

Besides 25 years imprisonment, Bullock will spend the rest of his life on extended supervision and the sex offender registry. He must stay away from the victim, Jones, minors, taverns, and alcohol. He also can't own pets.

The 25 year sentence falls in line with the pre-sentence investigation prepared by the Wisconsin Department Of Corrections, which recommended a 20-40 year sentence, but under Eau Claire County Assistant District Attorney Meri Larson's 30-40 year sentence suggestion. According to Larson, Bullock "attacked a defenseless woman in the most degrading way he and Mr. Jones could think of" and that Bullock "is a great threat to the community."

Before sentencing, Bullock said "I can't apologize about a crime I did not commit...My case is a case ... of media sensationalism and police misconduct. My case has been built on a foundation of lies. I am not a man that sexually assaults women."

Judge Lenz disagreed, saying "Just when you think you've seen every kind of depravity that comes into the mind of a man, there comes along another one."

Jones, still being held on $30,000 bail in the Eau Claire County Jail, will be sentenced August 3 after a pre-sentence investigation is run on him. Both Bullock and Jones have appealed their convictions.

Man sentenced to life in disappearence, murder, of mother of two - chief defendant's mom sentenced for mutilating corpse

(Original Post 7-16-09)
A Brookfield, WI man who allegedly strangled, then hired his friend and mother to burn a suburban Milwaukee mother's body was charged with first-degree intentional homicide and mutilating a corpse. Brandon J. Mueller, 36, was charged in the Jaunary death of his "girlfriend," 28 year old Renee Redmer, who he had been "dating" for a month.

Redmer was strangled around January 5, just after she appered in court for a misdemeanor cocaine posession charge, in Mueller's mother's apartment. Her family did not report her missing until January 13. Nancy J. Pinno, 53, Mueller's mother, of Fond Du Lac, WI and Donald R. Worth, 48, of the Town of Friendship in Fond Du Lac County, WI were charged with mutilating a corpse and aiding in a felony, and a misdemeanor of obstructing an officer after burning Redmer's body in a burn barrel, which was later emptied out into the middle of frozen Lake Winnebago. The burn barrel was later found on Worth's property.

The relationship between Mueller and Redmer was violent, according to the victim's family. Mueller has a history of domestic violence.

According to court records:
• Mueller was convicted in 2008 of disorderly conduct, with a domestic violence enhancement, and served 20 days in jail.

• In 2002, Mueller was sentenced to 60 days in jail and two years' probation after he was convicted of disorderly conduct, with enhancement penalties of domestic abuse, being a habitual criminal and using a dangerous weapon.

• In 1998, Mueller was convicted of intimidating a victim with a domestic abuse enhancement penalty and served four months in jail.

• Also in 1998, Mueller was sentenced to three years' probation for criminal damage to property with an enhanced penalty of domestic violence.

Mueller faces a mandatory life sentence with the possibility of parole if convicted as charged. He is being held on $1 million bail. The others face 16 3/4 years for their roles in the crime. Pinno is being held on $250,000 bail, and Worth on $150,000 bail.

(Update 12-25-09) Two days ago, Pinno was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison and 9 months in jail for being party to the crime of mutilating a corpse and resisting and obstructing an officer.

On Dec. 18, a jury found Pinno guilty after five days of testimony, including watching hours of footage in which Pinno confessed her involvement to detectives.

Nuss compared Pinno — whose criminal history includes crimes of theft and possession of THC — to Kevin Moore, a seemingly mild-mannered man who used a cinder block to kill his wife outside of their Ripon home during the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2006.

Pinno told Judge Nuss that "I am sorry for any involvement I had with Renee.I still don't know how Renee got there. I should have looked in my bedroom. For that, I am so sorry." The victim's twin sister, Amber Donath, explained how she tried to tell her niece that "I find it impossible to explain to a 12-year-old girl that her mother was mutilated, violated and destroyed beyond the darkest imagination… All I can do is hold her and tell her I love her."

Fond du Lac County District Attorney Dan Kaminsky said that the "disgusting" and "callous" crime warranted 7 years in prison. "I believe it was a maximum-sentence case. It was just a question of how we were going to get there. I'm very pleased with the sentence. I think it's appropriate. In this case, it is justice."  

Defense Attorney Catherine Block told The Reporter there may have been too much focus on the connection between the mother and son, noting that Pinno put Mueller up for adoption 36 years ago and only had contact with him the past 1½ years.

"It was a very manipulative relationship," said Block, who requested probation for her client. "… There was a lot of focus on her son being Brandon Mueller. I think that had a lot less to do with it than Ms. Pinno's own mental condition and depression."

Judge Nuss said that Worth, a defendant who took a plea deal and will be sentenced later, might never have gotten involved if Pinno was not party to the crime, and that Pinno should have guided her son. "But for your actions, this may have never had happened. You were there at a critical time in this woman's life and your son's life when you could have stepped up and been the person you would like me to believe you are. You didn't."

(Update 1-2-11) Brandon Mueller was sentenced to life without parole Tuesday, December 28, 2010. Judge Robert Wirtz handed down this sentence for the 1st degree intentional homicide for strangling Redmer and 7 1/2 years for mutilation of a corpse. The victim's father, Mark Redmer said that "I'm asking please protect us and other fathers such as me. Don't let him out for any reason whatsoever. He's shown over and over what kind of individual he is."

Wirtz noted Mueller's criminal history started at the age of 15. His past includes six juvenile convictions, 22 adult convictions and three domestic abuse-related restraining orders. Redmer's father, Mark Redmer, said Mueller threatened to kill Renee's sister, Amber Donath, and Renee's children as a means to keep the victim close to him.

[ District Attorney Dan] Kaminsky noted motivation for murder may have been fueled by a disdain Mueller had for Redmer not telling him where she was going and who she was spending time with.

During the trial, Mueller claimed that while he strangled Redmer, it was unintentional, the result of a fight between them over her heroin use. While Mueller claimed he only took a few seconds strangling Redmer, Fond du Lac County Medical Examiner Douglas Kelley said strangling someone to death can take minutes.

Mueller himself said, "I want to apologize and just say that the lifestyle I was living was very sinful and not appropriate." He told Kaminsky, "I wasn't just going to throw her body somewhere. I considered it cremating it. I said a prayer when I spread her ashes into the lake. So I guess, yeah, technically, it could be an act of love."

Judge Wirtz told him, "You have caused a lot of sorrow and anguish. Renee's children are motherless. "Her whereabouts for quite some time were unknown. It is not comforting, I'm sure, for the parents, children, family members or friends to find out ultimately what happened."

Donald Worth's sentence handed down earlier this year was 6 years.

More allegations against sexting Calumet County WI DA lead to his resignation

(Original Post 9-21-10)

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has called for the removal of the Calumet County DA over allegations that he sexted a domestic violence victim and invited a "date" to an autopsy. The DA, Calumet County Attorney Kenneth Kratz, has taken a leave of absence, citing "medical reasons." Doyle cannot formally seek removal unless he receives a complaint from a Calumet County resident, something he expects to occur later this week.

The second allegation regards a woman who was "dating" Kratz when he took calls involving a missing persons case. The case involved someone believed to have been murdered. He discussed aspects of the case that no other layman (or woman) knew, and that woman alleged Kratz "invit[ed] me to go with him to the autopsy (provided I would be his girlfriend and would wear high heels and a skirt)."

Doyle said "It's mind-boggling.To have an autopsy be used for the premise of a social engagement is just beyond anything anyone can imagine, I think.... That's the part that concerns me the most because it's really the use of official duties, in his official status as district attorney, for purposes completely unrelated to his job as district attorney."

Legislators, advocates for crime victims and prosecutors from across the state had already been calling for Kratz's resignation in the wake of reports that he had sent 30 text messages last year to Stephanie L. Van Groll, 26, while he was prosecuting her ex-boyfriend on domestic violence charges.

Van Groll's lawyer, Michael R. Fox, said Monday that he is aware of the new allegations against Kratz. "If it's credible, it's incredible," Fox said of the letter released by Doyle's office.

Kratz began texting Van Groll just minutes after she met with him Oct. 20 to discuss the abuse her ex-boyfriend had inflicted upon her. After Van Groll told Kratz about the abuse, he asked if she would mind if he dropped the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor, according to documents released Monday by the state Department of Justice.

Van Groll said she considered the request odd and told Kratz that trying to strangle someone is a felony, the documents show. Kratz sent his first text to Van Groll about 10 minutes after the meeting, telling her that she had potential and signing the message, "KEN (your favorite DA)." In other text messages sent over three days, Kratz referred to Van Groll as a "young, hot nymph" and asked if she "likes secret contact with an older married elected DA."

Van Groll reported the text messages to police. Kratz removed himself from the prosecution of Van Groll's boyfriend after the state began investigating his communication with her. The state appointed a prosecutor to take over the case, and Van Groll's ex-boyfriend was convicted in April of a domestic violence felony, according to court records.

On Friday, Kratz issued a statement saying that he "showed a lack of respect not only for my position but for the young woman that was involved," but refused to step down.

The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault released a joint statement saying "Whether or not Kratz has been an advocate for crime victims in the past, it is clear he can no longer serve in his current position. He has ignored victims, advocates and his peers, who have all called for him to step down. His repeated attempts to minimize his behavior show he either is in denial or only concerned for his personal interests."

The Wisconsin District Attorneys Association sent this letter, stating that Kratz' actions "has cast aspersions on our entire profession," and goes on to say that the would have fired subordinates who commites similar actions.
 
Van Groll's lawyer, Michael R. Fox, said "I am going to pull up every floorboard that I can to see what is behind this. There are things here that don't make sense. It is very strange how it has come to light. I believe my client was treated the way she was treated because she is a woman and was very vulnerable because she was a victim of domestic violence. It strikes me as something that requires further inquiry, because I don't know how you can text a victim in such a suggestive way and not immediately, the moment those texts leave your (phone), be in a conflict of interest."

(Update 9-22-10) Two more women have claimed that Kratz has harassed them. Maria Ruskiewicz, an Appleton, WI native who is now 31, claimed that she was sexted when she met with him in 2008 to discuss a pardon for a 1997 drug conviction. Ruskiewicz needed the pardon because as a student attending Oklahoma City University as a law student, it was necessary for her career goals. Kratz had prosecuted her for the drug conviction and she needed his support for the application she would send to Govenor Jim Doyle.

At the meeting, Kratz asked her about secratary - boss sex, and afterwards Kratz began to send her sexually suggestive texts, including texts describing him in the bedroom. After discussing the harassment with relatives, Ruskiewicz asked Kratz to stop texting her, which he did.

Deborah Felice, the associate dean for students at the law school, said she met with Ruskiewicz at her request on Sept. 25, 2008, to discuss the messages.

"She said she was very upset because she was pursuing a pardon and the DA she was working with was sending her these text messages that were basically stalking her," Felice said, adding that she was shown some of the messages.

Felice said she and Ruskiewicz met with a university lawyer five days later. They decided the best course of action was to ignore Kratz and hope he would go away. Felice said she spoke with Ruskiewicz weeks later and the messages had stopped, and "that's the last I heard of it until this morning," when she saw a segment about Kratz on national TV.

Richard Ginkowski, an assistant Kenosha County prosecutor, discussed the texts with Ruskiewicz as they were discussing the pardon application, and Ginkowski offered to take the matter to the Office of Lawyer Regulation, but "I decided in the end I didn't want to rock the boat." Since the scandal broke, she has said "This is not an isolated event. This happened a year prior to the first woman who came out. He is choosing women who are in vulnerable positions, not just women in general."

Ruskiewicz was granted her pardon last month by Gov. Doyle. A fourth woman has also claimed that Kratz contacted her inappropriately.

(Update 10-5-10) Kratz resigned yesterday as Calumet County DA. In a letter to Jim Doyle, Kratz said, "I hereby resign from my position as District Attorney, Calumet County, effective immediately." The resignation ends Kratz' 18 year career as Calumet County, WI district attorney. The resignation ends the official removal process, with a hearing scheduled for October 8 in Chilton being canceled.

A statement sent by fax to news outlets said Kratz remains at an out-of-state treatment center. He apologized to his "wife, son and entire family for the embarrassment and shame I have caused" and offered his "deepest apology to the citizens of Calumet County."

He cited an undisclosed condition for which he's receiving treatment as his downfall. "I have lost the confidence of the people I represent due primarily to personal issues which have now affected my professional career," Kratz wrote.

The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence spokesman Tony Gibart said "I think the resignation is an important step and a necessary step. It's something that had to happen for victims to regain trust in the Calumet County legal system." However, Gibart said that Kratz needs to also face professional and perhaps even criminal charges for his actions. "I don't think that [only a resignation]sends the right message to victims," Gibart said.

Former sheriff's deputy gets probation for groping of 18 year old at Halloween party

A Rock County Sheriff's deputy was sentenced to 30 days in jail with work release (or Huber) privileges Monday, June 28 in a Rock County, WI courtroom. Steven L. Stenulson, a 39 year old man from Janesville, WI, was accused of sexually assaulting an 18 year old woman at a party November 1, 2009.

Milton police were called to the house in the 500 block of College Street at 2:46 a.m. after a sexual assault at a Halloween party was reported. A Milton woman told police she was drinking and got sick. She went to an upstairs bedroom to sleep and was awakened by Stenulson who was in bed with her allegedly attempting to grope her.

After the incident Stenulson was placed on administrative leave. Rock County Sheriff Robert Spoden asked for and received Stenulson’s resignation from the sheriff’s office on Nov. 18.

Stenulson plead guilty to 4th degree sexual assault, a misdemeanor after initial charges of 3rd degree sex assault. He was ordered to complete sex offender and alcohol treatment and counseling and have no contact with the victim.

Hmong immigrant receives 8 years out of 40 max for raping wife

A Wisconsin man was sentenced to 8 out of a possible 40 years imprisonment Monday, June 28 for raping his wife, the first rape being when his victim was 12. Thaying Lor, 43, was convicted of 6 counts of sexual and attempted sexual assault by Judge Kevin Martens last December. The first four counts are before Wisconsin's truth-in-sentencing law, passed in 1999.

The case began when a bailiff overheard the victim testify in her divorce early last year about how she was kidnapped, raped and essentially sold into marriage at age 12. The victim never wanted to involve police out of respect for the Hmong culture, but the bailiff alerted law enforcement and Lor was charged 10 days later. The victim testified at trial that she came here from Laos in 1989.

Two years later, when she was 12, Lor used the promise of a trip to the mall to lure her to a house where she was essentially kidnapped and raped. Later, they were wed at a Hmong marriage ceremony after negotiations among their family members. Her mother testified at Lor's trial that the girl's parents accepted a $3,000 dowry.

It was that initial kidnapping of the then 12 year old girl which led to the longest sentence, 8 years. Three other rapes which led to the birth of children received a sentence of probation, which in my opinion, is much too light a sentence.  Judge Martens sentenced Lor to 4 years in prison with 8 years of supervision for 2nd degree sexual assault of his wife in 2005, and 2 years imprisonment with 4 years extended supervision for attempted rape in 2007. All of these prison terms are consecutive, with Lor being credited for 466 days in custody.

[The case] drew nationwide attention among Hmong-Americans, who feared it could lead to unfair judgment of their culture and an upsurge in Hmong wives making similar claims years after their weddings.  Prosecutors and advocates for victims of domestic violence sought much tougher punishment, while Lor's counsel and Hmong-American groups and individuals who sent dozens of letters recommended probation.

Before sentencing, Judge Martens said that this was a difficult case, "given the number of issues I'm asked to consider on both sides." Martens also said that the trial focused on Lor's conduct, and that "It would be wrong for anyone to take this as an indictment of the Hmong community as a whole."

The victim, who is raising the couple's 6 children, did not appear for her rapist's sentencing because of death threats she received from some in her community. "They have threatened to hunt me down like a squirrel in the woods," she said. She hoped that Judge Martens would send her husband to prison to send a message to other domestic violence and marital rape victims. Judge Martens message would have been that much stronger if he had sentenced Lor to 30 years and fully taken into account the pattern of abuse which had started with a 12 year old girl.

Mother of five's killer husband sentenced to life with chance of parole in 40 years

An Grand Chute, Wisconsin man who shot his estranged wife to death and attempted to kill her mother has been sentenced to life with the earliest possible parole eligibility date at January 1, 2050. Scott Schmidt, now 39, was found guilty of killing 39 year old Kelly Wing-Schmidt in her driveway. Outgamie County Judge John Des Jardins presided over the trial and sentencing, which took place Friday, May 7.

Kelly Wing-Scmidt, mother of five, was gunned down over an affair she was having with a man. Three shots to the head killed her on April 17, 2009, in front of her kids. The kids also saw their maternal grandmother, Barbara Wing get injured by bullets. The last thing Kelly said before she was rushed to the hospital and died was take care of her kids.

The authors [of Schmidt's pre-sentence report] discuss Schmidt's problem with alcohol. They include the results of a court-ordered mental evaluation in which Dr. Ralph Baker concluded Schmidt was seriously depressed.

In interviews, Schmidt explained to the authors one of the most controversial aspects of his trial testimony. He said one of their best conversations he had with his wife came after he shot her. It was because they weren't fighting or yelling, but simply talking, he said. "I guess the best was I can explain it is like being in the eye of a hurricane," he said. "The fierce storm that went on between us — fighting, yelling and swearing before — now was over."

Pre-sentence investigations are just one tool used by judges in determining a sentence. Des Jardins also listened to testimony, statements on behalf of the prosecution and defense, and arguments from the attorneys. Schmidt also addressed the court.

The investigators said they found it "remarkable" that Schmidt was able to maintain employment with the Appleton Fire Department in recent years given his excessive drinking. Schmidt, they said, should have taken an extended leave, vacation or even a psychiatric commitment in the weeks or months leading up to the homicide.

He was a troubled man hanging on to whatever he could during troubled times.

Letters in support of the killer echoed that last sentence. Kristin Stille, Schmidt's ex-wife, said that "My son has a right to love his dad, to respect him and also to be proud of all the many accomplishments as well as to be proud of his dad as a human being.”

Brian Cook, a coworker of Schmidt's, said “I trusted Scott with my life every day as a firefighter, and nothing has changed. To this day, I would trust him with my life and the lives of anyone in my family.”

The victim's mother, Barbara Wing, who was also shot when her daughter was killed, said "She should be here for her children. She should be a paramedic. She should be saving lives instead of having hers taken. I would gladly in a heartbeat give my life this very second to have Kelly back for her children. I would also gladly give Scott Schmidt's. Sadly, neither of those are options for us today."

"I believe that Scott Schmidt should get out of prison at the same time my daughter gets out of Riverside Cemetary," the victim's father, Tom Wing said.

Letters written to the court illustrate the toll taken by the victim's kids. Kay Heimerl, the therapist for the victim's two youngest children, said that “The negative impact of Scott’s actions on his daughter are permanent and lifelong and will only change in presentation as she gets older and progresses through her various life stages.”

"It's obvious to me that the [kids] are different. Their lives have been affected forever. I can see it in their eyes. Something is gone," said James Baker, her 17 year old son's father.

"I don't know about your remorse - I don't know how sincere that is - the only person who knows that is God himself." Public protection and rehabilitation were minor factors in Judge Des Jardins' sentence. "Punishment is a huge factor. The damage you have done - the pain, the anguish, the torment caused to the Wing family and their friends is incredible. The court should not depreciate the seriousness of the damage that you did by the eligibility date."

The blind raping the blind - rape between two residents of complex catering to visually impaired - attacker sentenced to 20 years

(Original Post 6-8-08)
Hawley Ridge Apartments, 920 N. Hawley Rd in Milwaukee, was the scene of a rape May 31 when Matthew Lilek, 41, allegedly impersonated himself as a 75 year old woman's son so he could rape her. The woman, who is visually impaired, and Lilek both live at that same apartment building.

According to a complaint:
The woman told police she was waiting for a visit from her son when someone rang her doorbell. She admitted a man, claiming to be her son, into her apartment. The man told her he sounded different because he had a cold. He then assaulted her.

At one point, the woman said, the man carried her into her bathroom and dumped her into her bathtub. He started to pour water on her, then continued to attack her until her doorbell rang.

The woman described the man as weighing more than 200 lbs., with moles on his back and dry elbows, wearing a wristwatch on one wrist and a name tag on the other.

According to police, a videotape shows a resident of the apartment building, Matthew Lilek, entering the woman's apartment and then leaving it a short time later carrying a bra. The bra, the complaint says, was recovered from Lilek's apartment, along with a pair of women's underpants. Lilek told police he took the underpants from the apartment building's laundry room and wore them while he attacked the victim.

Lilek is charged with second-degree sexual assault; aggravated battery and burglary. He faces 58 1/2 years in prison if convicted of all charges and if given the maximum sentence.

(Update 4-13-10) Lilek plead no contest in January to second-degree sexual assault, use of force, and aggravated battery in exchange for prosecutors dismissing a felony burglary count. Yesterday, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Rebecca Dallet sentenced Lilek to 20 years in prison and 15 years of extended supervision.

Judge Dallet said that despite developmental delays, Lilek chose a particulary vulnerable victim, posed as the victim's son, and inflicted serious injuries. Judge Dallet read previous uncharged incidents of inappropriate sexual contact into the record. "I'm not sure he can understand how wrong this is, so how will he not do it in the future?" she said.

The victim's son said she began suffering from Usher syndrome, a genetic disorder that leads to loss of hearing and sight. She had lived at Hawley Ridge a little more than five years at the time of the attack and enjoyed the independence it offered. Since the attack, she has moved to a group home, her son said, and does not like it. The woman attended the sentencing and was happy with the outcome, her son said.

He also said the family plans a civil suit against Hawley Ridge, noting that the management kept Lilek as a tenant despite earlier reports of inappropriate sexual contacts with residents. Lilek's mother was a major contributor to the Badger Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired. She declined to comment after the hearing.

As for Lilek, his attorney said that his client was focused of returning to jail to listen to yesterday's Brewers game (which Milwaukee lost, 10 to 5). Lilek told Judge Dallet, "I want to go to jail, and that's exactly what I want to do. And I'm disavowing my entire family as well."

Dog killer gets 6 years prison, 4 years extended supervision

A Green Bay, WI man who broke into his ex-"girlfriend's" apartment and killed her dog by placing it in the oven was sentenced to 6 years in prison by a Brown County, WI judge Friday, March 26. Judge William Atkinson sentenced 32 year old Terry Atkinson to 5 years in prison for burglary and a year for animal mistreatment, terms to run consecutively. A jury deliberated only an hour before Kleiman was found guilty.

He broke into the woman's Elmore Street apartment Nov. 23, 2008. When the woman arrived home later, she found her apartment filled with smoke and the 5-month-old Pekingese's body in the oven.

Assistant District Attorney Dana Johnson said the maximum allowable sentence on the animal abuse charge was 1½ years in prison but that Kleiman could have gotten as much as 12½ years in prison for the burglary.

Besides the prison time, Kleiman will serve 4 years of extended supervision, 3 for the burglary and 1 for the dog killing. He was also ordered not to own and pets or date women without parole officer supervision.

18 year old accused of sexual coercion, blackmail of HS students pleads guilty in suburban MIlwaukee courtroom, gets 15 years prison

(Original Post 2-5-09)

An 18 year old man originally investigated for a bomb scare at the New Berlin High School was charged with sexual assault, and other offenses for coercing fellow male students into sex using Facebook. If found guilty on all charges, he faces 293 years in prison.

Anthony "Tony" Stancl, 18 was charged with posing as a girl to trick 31 boys, ranging in age from 13 to 19, into posing for nude pitcures. The boys, all Stancl's former classmates, were contacted through their Facebook pages. While posing as a girl, Stancl threatened to release the nude photos to the public unless the victims agreed to perform sex acts.

The sexual assaults occurred in 2008 in a bathroom at the high school, the school parking lot, a New Berlin Public Library restroom, parks and at some of the victims' homes, according to the criminal complaint. At least seven boys, 15 to 17, were forced into performing sex acts, the complaint says.
Police learned of Stancl's alleged activities after he was accused in a bomb threat that closed Eisenhower and one victim came forward to police.

Stancl, who was expelled after the bomb scare, is charged with a bomb threat, plus repeated sexual assault of same child (at least three violations of first- or second-degree sexual assault), possession of child pornography, second- and third-degree sexual assaults and five counts of child enticement.

The child porn charges stem from 600 photos of both commercial porn and about 300 photos/movie clips of the New Berlin victims found on Stancl's computer.

(Update 7-16-09) Waukesha County Circuit Judge J. Mac Davis lowered Stancl's bail from $250,000 to $75,000, a move which puts his release within reach. Defense attorney Craig M. Kuhary said that Stancl's parents were able to access $75,000 in their retirement funds. Stancl's parents will also pay the $20 per day electronic monitoring fee.

Kuhary said Stancl would like to get his high school diploma, possibly from New Berlin West or Waukesha County Technical College. Davis said he will allow Stancl to complete his education but he can be on school grounds only for scheduled purposes and with adult supervision.

Davis said Stancl would be allowed to go to the homes of his grandparents in West Allis and Hartland, his attorney's office, police departments and court. Stancl would not be permitted to use the library, access the Internet, or possess a cell phone.

District Attorney Brad Schimel objected to the bail reduction due to the severity of the charges and the potential maximum sentence in convicted. The New Berlin School District, through its Superintendent Paul Kreutzer, released a statement saying, in its entirety, "Mr. Anthony Stancl, under no circumstances, will be involved at any level with the School District of New Berlin."

GQ has a story, "Sextortion At Eisenhower High," which gives much more background into this case.

(Update 12-22-09) Tony Stancl pled guilty before Waukesha County Circuit Judge James R. Kieffer to 2 counts of sexual assault on a child in a Waukesha County, WI courtroom today. 10 other charges against him were dropped by prosecutors as a result of the plea agreement. District Attorney Brad Schimel is asking for a substantial prison sentence, which could be as long as 30 years with 20 years of extended supervision after release. If Stancl had went to trial and been convicted on all charges, he would have faced 176 1/2 years in prison.

Schimel's view about the agreement and outcome of the case is below.

 I contacted each and every one of the victims in this matter and each of them felt that this was a very positive resolution of the case. It was important for them that this be resolved before the holidays....I've never had a case where victims and parents have been more apprehensive about testifying than in this case. There has been an enormous amount of publicity, maybe unprecedented in a child sexual assault case, and all happening in a school where all of the victims went, along with the defendant.

This resolution is something that is going to set them at ease in the coming weeks. This was going to continue to get more troubling to them as we approached trial. So this resolution is something that I view as a fair resolution and from the victims' perspective, they are relieved that we are doing this.

 I think a lot of parents learned something from this. Usually in child sexual assault cases...the media attention is relatively minor...This one has just attracted a lot of attention because it's bigger than what just happened here. There are people all over the country looking at this, I hope, and questioning what are kids up to. What are kids doing with their photo phones? What are they doing on their computers? There's been this other message beyond just dealing with the defendant and the victims.

(Update 2-25-10) Stancl was sentenced to 15 years in prison and 13 years of extended supervision this afternoon by Waukesha County Circuit Judge J. Mac Davis because as someone who has proven to been manipulative and self-centered, he was still potentially dangerous and "I am afraid of what he can and might do."

District Attorney Brad Schimel asked for "substantial" prison time, without being specific. No victims spoke at the sentencing, but some had sent letters asking for substantial prison time. Some of the victims required hospitalization for suicidal thoughts, medication or have had to undergo therapy, Schimel said.

Schimel said substantial prison time was needed because of the number of victims, the scheming nature of the crime and the impact on victims. He also said that the very nature of the crime - repeatedly coercing sex by extortion - was a pattern of deviant sexual behavior. Schimel also cited a 2004 juvenile case in which Stancl, then 13, was found delinquent for sexual assault of a 3-year old in a home where he was a babysitter.

Defense attorney Craig Kuhary suggested 5 years in prison with a decade of extended supervision, stating that Stancl's problems began after he was outed as gay by a former "lover" who went to his school. "Once word got out that he was gay, everything shut down," Kuhary said.

Stancl's uncle, Al Turk, from California spoke on behalf of the family saying his nephew and godson was loving, intelligent, athletic, a former altar boy and a technological whiz kid who worked at a software company while going to school and maintaining good grades.

"Like many young men his age, he's made a serious mistake," Turk said. Emphasizing his Catholic upbringing in a supportive and forgiving family, Turk said he remains a joy to his family who'll be there for him when his "penance" is served.

Stancl himself made a statement saying that he needed to treat others the way he wanted to be treated, and that after prison, "I am determined to become once again a productive and law-abiding citizen."

Besides prison, extended supervision, and the sex offender list, Stancl was banned from contact with the victims or their families, the New Berlin school district under any circumstances. He can't use the Internet or have contact with minors without correctional supervision after he gets out of prison.

Schimel explained his role in the prosecution of Stancl. "I had two jobs here. I had a job to get him locked up for some reasonable amount of time to protect the community, but I also had to look out for the welfare of these seven kids, and I think we struck that balance. I asked for substantial prison, and 15 years of initial confinement followed by 13 years of extended supervision is a substantial prison sentence that takes away Anthony Stancl's youth," said Schimel.

He also reiterated that parents must be on guard when it comes to electronic devices and protection from sexual predation. "They have to know that the more capability they give their kids electronically with this stuff, the less control they have over their kid's safety."
 
Last, but certainly not least, Schimel reminded parents that this was how most sex offenders work. "This is how sex offenders work. They compromise their victims. Very few of the sexual assaults we see involve some sort of person jumping out of the bushes and grabbing someone. Most of the time, it's someone that the victim knows, and they get manipulated into a position where it becomes difficult to say something, to speak out. That's what happened with these kids."

Suburban Milwaukee teacher, coach charged with sexual assault on female player

A Brown Deer, WI teacher and girls soccer coach has been charged with sexual exploitation of a student by school staff for sexual relationship with one of her soccer players. 26 year old Emily Patterson allegedly started the sexual relationship after the 16 year old victim began having problems with her home life. This eventually led to facebook contact and sleepovers, with Patterson and the girl fondling each other over clothes during a sleepover.

Patterson's contract with the Brown Deer School District ended with the 2008-2009 girls' soccer season. However she was still considered a volunteer coach because of her involvement with an open gym night for girls interested in playing soccer, according to the complaint.

The district said it has remained in dialogue with the Brown Deer Police Department about the investigation, and the school has counselors available. Administrators stated, "The safety and welfare of our students is always the district's highest priority."

Parents of Brown Deer High students said that the case reinforced that parents need to monitor the use of cell phones and social networking sites. Mother Neila Bond stated "Well, I think for one thing, they shouldn't have their home phone number or cell phone number that would be a clue that something might be a little off." 

Another mother, Cynthia Hines, stated that "Check e-mails, check Facebook. Check everything to have a conversation with your child."

Patterson is currently employed as a teacher at Mukwanago High School. Brown Deer and Mukwanago are suburbs of Milwaukee, WI.

Wife sentenced to decade for poison, hitman attempt on husband

A Galion, OH woman was sentenced to 10 years in the Ohio prison system Monday, February 2, 2010 for the attempted murder of her husband last year. Kathleen Wirick formally pled guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder in front of Court of Common Pleas Judge Russ Wiseman. According to prosecutor Cliff Murphy, the victim supported the outcome.

During the plea/sentencing hearing, Wirick was visibly shaking and crying as she admitted that between May 1 and June 18 of 2009, she did commit the crimes of which she is accused.

The attempted aggravated murder charge refers to an attempt Wirick made to poison her husband, Brad, using Ajax sprinkled in his coffee — an attempt Wirick claimed to have thought better of, dumping the coffee before serving it to her husband.

Wirick’s conspiracy conviction stems from her calling a friend and asking if the friend knew a “hitman.”

Murphy informed the press that Chris Hydinger from the sheriff’s office worked with the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, to place an agent posing as a hitman on the case.

Wirick and her estranged husband have two children, one of whom is a minor.

Both counts will be served concurrently. Besides prison, served at 100% in Ohio, Kathleen will be fined $250 plus court costs and must serve at least a year of post release control.

Scorned "lovers" get probation, community service for gluing man's members to stomach

For women who admitted to gluing their "lover's" penis to his stomach were sentenced to probation Tuesday in a Calument County, WI courtroom. Therese Ziemann, 48, of Menasha; Michelle Belliveau, 43, of Neenah; Wendy Sewell, 44, of Kaukauna; and 31-year-old Tracy Hood-Davis of Fond du Lac were all sentenced to a year on probation after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct charges. Ziemann was also convicted of battery in the incident. Judge Donald Poppy heard the women's pleas and meted out punishments in separate hearings. The defendants also have to serve out community service.

Prosecutors say Ziemann lured Donessa Davis, 37, Hood-Davis' husband, to a Stockbridge motel on July 30. After tying him to the bed under the pretense of sex, Ziemann called the other women to the room. The women berated him before Ziemann struck him and glued his penis to his body.

Belliveau was the lone defendant of the four who didn't have a sexual relationship with Davis.

The case garnered attention from media outlets around the world. Belliveau's attorney, Ralph Sczygelski, criticized the coverage, saying it was driven by "sex, sex, sex in the media." The defendants and their lawyers said the events in the motel room went beyond anything they had planned.

Ziemann said she was angry because her minor daughter's number was in Davis' cell phone and that the penis gluing was a spur of the momnet action. "I just wish that this never happened. It's taken a toll on everybody involved," she said to Judge Poppy. Sewell's attorney, Nila Robinson, stated that her client "wanted him to see her face and see how much pain he caused her,"
 
In closing, Judge Poppy berated Hood-Davis, stating the women whose husbands cheat on them tend to handle their business in divorce court, not by messing with members. "They don't set things in motion so people get all messed up with glue."

19 year old barred from dating without permission for auto, gun theft with 16 year old girl

On Friday, December 18, an Appleton, WI teen was sentenced to a year in jail and a three year probation term whose conditions include no dating females without permission of the probation agent and no use of social networking sites like Facebook or Myspace. This sentence was handed down by  Outgamie Couty Judge John Des Jardins against 19 year old Jordan Christensen for theft of a firearm, auto theft, and bail jumping.

On May 26, Christensen stole a gun from his foster parents’ residence, stole their car and fled the state with his 16-year-old girlfriend, claiming through a blog posting that they intended to get married. The girl emptied her bank account and stole additional cash and a cell phone from her residence before they left. After a missing and endangered child [Amber] alert was issued the two were picked up in Tennessee by police and returned to Wisconsin.

The bail jumping charge stems from Christensen's attempts to contact the girl through her social networking page after he was released on bond. This ban is part of Christensen's probation, along with his probation officer having to check the suitability of females he dates after he finishes his jail term. “He just creates more trouble for himself," Judge Des Jardins said.

Before he was sentenced, Christensen made a short statement. "I feel sorry towards the families. I realize the trouble we put everyone through. I am taking responsibility. I am guilty."

Pewaukee officer demoted beacuse of inappropriate behavior with suspect

A City of Pewaukee police seargeant was demoted to patrol officer and suspended for 15 days without pay on Monday, October 26 for attempting to date a criminal suspect and lying about it. This demotion will cost Officer Cher Sneider almost $10,000 in gross annual salary.

The administrative sanctions were the result of an internal investigation by the City of Pewaukee’s Police And Fire Commission of administrative charges against her, regarding an off-duty incident on May 10, 2008.

According to the complaint, Sgt. Sneider had an on-duty patrol officer access a secure police database to get Sneider the phone number of a man under investigation for suspicion of illegal activity, including drugs. That man had a known criminal history with the City of Pewaukee police department.

Sneider, who thought the suspect was “hot,” and wanted to go out with him, made four calls with her personal cell phone May 10, 2008, another call and a visit to the man’s house the next day, and two more calls May 17, 2008. She denied trying to have a relationship with him, saying she contacted him as part of a noise complaint investigation.

Commission members said that Sneider’s testimony was unconvincing, citing the late night phone calls she made to the suspect’s residence. As part of their seven page decision, they said the following:

"It is not credible that Sneider would be making legitimate and necessary police-related calls...while out visiting a succession of taverns on a Saturday night and drinking alcoholic beverages. It is not believable that Sneider would pursue this issue off duty as late as 12:06 a.m. on Sunday morning, May 11, 2008, which is the time she made her last call to the Doe residence."

Pewaukee Police Department rules state that officers engage in professional conduct, refrain for associating with people of questionable character, use city resources for work, and “speak the truth at all times.”

A separate insubordination charge against Sneider was dismissed by the commission. That charge stemmed from her request to remove a laptop computer mount bracket from then-Chief Gary Bach's squad car to have it installed in her car. Meister earlier had issued an order that nothing be removed from Bach's squad, and Sneider was accused of ignoring the mandate.

The commission said it is disappointing that department personnel and commission time was spent looking into the laptop mount issue.

"The commission is concerned that this situation is symptomatic of poor management, system-wide disregard for authority and continuing deterioration in the chain of command with the police department. This matter should have been handled internally," the commission said.

Sneider's attorney, Gordon McQuillen, says his client may appeal the demotion.

Catholic priest who fathered child suspended from ministry

A priest exposed as being the father of a now 22 year old son was suspended yesterday by the Catholic Dioscese of Superior, WI by his superiors. Father Henry Willenborg was suspended immediately, according to spokesman Richard Lyons. "He is to step down from active ministry and any involvement in church events until we have a chance to clarify the information that was in the New York Times article today," Lyons said.

Father Willenborg fathered Nathan Halbach after an "affair" with his mother, Pat Bond, currently of O'Fallon, MO, which started back in 1983.  The seduction came after he led a Catholic women's retreat. Father Willenborg led Pat aside for a kiss, beginning five years of intimate sexual exploitation, leading to Nathan's birth and the breakup of her existing marriage.

In public, they were both leaders in their Catholic community in Quincy, Ill. In private they functioned like a married couple, sharing a bed, meals, movie nights and vacations with the children.


Eventually they had a son, setting off a series of legal battles as Ms. Bond repeatedly petitioned the church for child support. The Franciscans acquiesced, with the stipulation that she sign a confidentiality agreement. It is now an agreement she is willing to break as both she and her child, Nathan Halbach, 22, are battling cancer.

Ms. Bond retained a lawyer, and the Franciscans gave her $1,000 toward the costs of the birth that were not covered by insurance, and $505 toward baby furniture. The Franciscans further agreed to pay $600 a month for the baby’s first 10 months, until Ms. Bond could return to work in a travel agency, and after that $350 a month in child support until Nathan turned 18. It added up, after bank and legal fees, to about $85,000 paid in a lump sum.

The Franciscans also agreed to pay half of Nathan's University of Missouri tuition until he turned 21 and "extraordinary medical expences" until age 23 and it is thair refusal to do so which led the victims to tell their stories.

According to Nate, "Father" Willenborg never functioned as a father to him, just as a priest. “I’ve always called him Father Henry — never Father, never Dad. I always felt he picked religion over me.”

Most tellingly, the "relationship" ended after another woman showed up to Bond's house and told Pat that Father WIllenborg had been seeing that second victim even since high school. Soon afterwards, the Franciscans sent Willenborg to this order for treatment.

The exposure was assisted by SNAP, who met in St. Louis yesterday, where the regional Franciscan head is based. SNAP wants the Franciscans as well as the Superior Dioscese to pay the 22 year old's medical expenses.

Federal marshal charged with coercing woman into sexual relationship

A 48 year old deputy US marshal was charged with luring, then coercing a woman less than half of his age into a sexual relationship, stating that she would lose her child if she did not comply with his advances.

According to the criminal complaint, 48 year old Timothy Moseley, charged with one count of capturing an image of nudity without consent and two counts of false imprisonment, met the then 20 year old woman online back in April and immediately told her that he was in law enforcement and coerced her into "dating" him.

In the summer, the sexual abuse escalated, with Moseley gagging and binding the woman while taking pictures of her he threatened to post of Facebook. In another incident, Moseley allegedly gave the victim a drink causing her to pass out. When she awoke, she was on his bead, nude and surrounded by rose petals. Investigators found photos of the victim bound and passed out with the rose petals American Beauty style.

Moseley, a supervisory deputy assigned to the Eastern District of Wisconsin, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending a review of his status with the agency, according to Jeff Carter, a spokesman for the U.S. Marshal's Service in Washington, D.C.

Moseley was assigned to the Eastern District in January after being transferred from Wyoming, where he was chief deputy for that district, Carter said in an e-mail.

Moseley made an initial court appearance Tuesday, October 13 and bond was set at $20,000.

Man who led search for wife he killed sentenced to life without parole for 35 years

A Black River Falls, WI man who killed and then "helped" in the search for her body was sentenced to life in prison with possible release in 35 years yesterday. If Douglas Sidie, now 40, is even released, he'll be under monitoring of the Wisconsin Department Of Corrections for the rest of his life.

Sidie shot to death his ex wife, 27 year old Alisha, using a 22 caliber shotgun to the head in their Hatfield home in Jackson County, WI. He drove her body to Komensky, WI, and left her body face down across a dirt road. Her remains were discovered later.

Meanwhile, Sidie reported Alisha missing, and joined other searchers in trying to find her - actions which rankle the victim's mother, Susan Rowlee.

"Doug searched right alongside me. He promised my grandsons he'd bring Momma home. He knew she was dead and her body was out in the woods. I wake up every morning with a hole in my heart."

The victim's father, Tony Rowlee, said that "For you, Doug Sidie, God might forgive you, but I never will. May you rot and die in prison."

Doug Sidie confessed on November 15 that he had killed his wife in the way described above, leaving 2 year old twin boys without a mother.

Circuit Judge Elliott Levine was brought in from La Crosse county to preside over the trial. John Brinckman, Doug's defense attorney, argued for a 20 to 25 year sentence, while the prosecutor, Jackson County District Attorney Gerald Fox, asked for release after 30 years. The pre sentencing report argued for a life without parole sentence.

In handing down his decision, Judge Levine stated that "When you killed Alisha, you put that bullet not only through her head, but you put it through the hearts of many people sitting in this room. This is a homicide that makes all of us cringe and wonder about humanity."

Brinckman claimed Douglas Sidie was angered by Alisha Sidie's threats to kill his son from a prior relationship but did not plan to shoot her. He delayed his confession so he could spend time with the twins.

"I don't believe his intentions were to torture the public," Brinckman said.

Courtroom tension rose when Douglas Sidie's aunt labeled Alisha Sidie as selfish and verbally abusive. His "stable" life turned "chaotic" when she tried to sever his bond with his other son, Carol Homan told the court.

"Alicia's narcissistic personality caused her own death," she said. "He should not be considered a criminal, rather a victim of abuse."

"Arrest me. That lady is an (expletive) joke," Alisha Sidie's sister, Tracy Rowlee, said as she stormed out the courtroom.

Sidie made a statement to the victims' family, stating that "I know they hate me. I can't say that I blame them," he said. "I can't tell them I'm sorry enough, I can't put it into words … I never meant for this to happen. I never meant for things to go this far."

After the sentencing, the victim's sister Tracy said "I think our family is just kind of like a puzzle with a missing piece. And that's how it's going to be for a long, long time and it will probably always stay like that."

Sidie plans to appeal the sentence.

Wisconsin Department of Corrections to pay for facial reconstruction for killer of girlfriend

Daryl Stremke, 45, is serving 30 years in prison and will serve another 30 years under extended supervision for blasting his "girlfriend" Samantha "Sam" Verby away. When he tried to commit suicide with witnesses, including Samantha's 7 year old daughter, he failed to do anything but blast away the bottom half of his face.

According to the victim's father Larry, Stremke had set up a campground for them near Comstock, WI, near Staples Lake the night before the murder. On the night of the murder, June 30, 2002, Stremke had came to see Sam, yelling for her to come out. According to her father, this is what happened next.

"She said if you want to talk to me, you can come in here and talk to me. He walked inside the trailer, down the hallway and 10 feet away... shot her in the head. He then shot himself right there."

Larry ran from the Verby's Staples Lake Bar to the scene of the murder. He said this about his granddaughter's trauma from witnessing her mother's murder. "It took quite a long time for her to go to sleep by herself," Verby said. "She was afraid someone else was going to shoot through her room."

Later this month, Stremke will have the first in a series of surgeries to correct his speaking and eating problems. These surgeries will be funded by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections - and therefore, the Wisconsin taxpayer. Including the victim's parents.

This is what Larry has to say about the surgery.

"He has to live with what he did. There's no fixing it now...But when the perpetrator does it himself to himself with the idea that he went there on a death wish in the first place, he did it to himself. And being that he murdered my daughter, I have no sympathy for him."

Alice Verby, the victim's mother echoed her husband's feelings. "Taxpayers feel their money should go to better things than rebuilding his face. He did it to himself. Let him live that way."

Strenke's mother is defending the decision, saying Strenke, 45, is "tortured" by his injuries. He is serving a 60-year sentence, including 30 years behind bars.

Without surgery, Darlene Strenke said, her son would continue to struggle to speak and eat. She said his speech is nearly impossible to understand, and his food must be pureed.

"He doesn't have any teeth. He doesn't have a roof in his mouth, and he's only got part of a nose," she said. "It doesn't matter who they are, what crimes they've committed, (prisoners) still deserve the (medical) care," she said. "They're still a human being."

The Wisconsin Department Of Corrections provides surgeries to prisoners on a "medically necessary" basis. This is because of their mandate to avoid cruel and unusual punishment as stated in the 8th Amendment.

According to WDOC spokesman John Dipko, "Our actions as a correctional health care provider are consistent with this constitutional directive, including instances in which an individual is identified by an outside medical specialist as in need of reconstructive surgery to protect the individual's life and health."

State Rep. Ann Hraychuck, D-Balsam Lake, who was the sheriff of Polk County in 2002 and helped prosecute Strenke, said she sees both sides. Taxpayers don't want their hard-earned money wasted, but the state must care for people in its custody, she said.

"I do understand that institutions are responsible for providing necessary medical treatment," Hraychuck said, noting that as sheriff, she ran the Polk County Jail. "Now my job is to protect taxpayers ... and make sure they're getting the best bang for their buck."

In the end, Hraychuck said, she trusts Department of Corrections Secretary Rich Raemisch, former Dane County sheriff, made the right decision. Given the budget cuts across state government, Hraychuck said, "I can't imagine that the secretary of the Department of Corrections would OK any kind of treatments or surgery that isn't absolutely necessary."

The cost of this surgery is undetermined due to complications during surgery and the severity of the injury, according to University of Wisconsin Hospital spokeswoman Lisa Brunette.

"Complicated reconstructions for severe injuries in particular very often present unexpected developments all along the way," Brunette said. "I don't think we can responsibly provide even a ballpark estimate at this stage of the process."

But regardless of the cost to repair the hole in Stremke's face, the hole in the Verby family can never be replaced. A 15 year old girl has been permanently mentally disfigured by the actions of a murder on that early summer night seven years ago. No amount of money can remedy that.

Killer of young mother sentenced to 20 years - currently serving life for rape-slaying of another woman

In the space of two hours yesterday, a Dubuque, IA man went from being charged with to being sentenced for the murder of a Rockford, IL mother of three. Gregory Otterbeck, 54, was charged with the murder of Thomasina Dunivant back in December 1980. The prostitute, 23, was last seen alive outside a bar in East Dubuque, IL on December 7, 1980. Her strangled, beaten body was found on the side of a road in Grant County, WI. The case went cold until 2007, when Wisconsin Department Of Justice matched Otterbeck's DNA to samples taken from the victim's vagina.

Grant County Circuit Judge Robert P. VanDeHey said after accepting Otterbeck's no contest plea that the defendant was one of the most dangerous defendants in his courtroom. "It was a violent murder ... her death shouldn't be minimized just because it took 28 years," he said.

The victim's daughter Margaret, four when her mother was killed, said "He's the type of scum no one should feel sorry for."

Otterbeck is currently serving life for being party to the rape and murder of Jodi Bausman. She was gang raped before being killed at a cabin Otterbeck's friend owned back in April 1981.

The complaint said it was "plausible" Otterbeck killed Dunivant at the same cabin because Dunivant's purse was found 500 yards from the building, it was a short drive from the bar where Dunivant was last seen and bedding from the cabin was missing after Dunivant was killed but before Bausman's death.

The complaint also says a woman told investigators that Otterbeck's sister told her he had wandered into his sister's restaurant at 4:30 a.m., looking half-drunk, and told his sister he had killed a woman. He said they were going to have sex, but she decided not to and began to scream. He covered her mouth until she stopped breathing and he dumped the body in a ditch.

Otterbeck's sister, however, told investigators she didn't remember any such conversation.

Oliveto told the judge she explained to Otterbeck that the complaint was laced with circumstantial evidence, hearsay and evidence of other criminal acts, which might not be allowed at a trial in Dunivant's death, and another conviction would erase any chance at parole.

"He understands all these things," Oliveto told the judge. "Mr. Otterbeck wants to proceed in this manner."

Mr. Otterbeck wants Ms. Dunivant to be at peace," Oliveto said.

In accordance with the plea deal, Assistant Attorney General Dave Wambach asked Judge VanDeHey to order Otterbeck to pay for Dunivant's headstone, a request the judge denied. Wambach recommended the perpetrator for transfer from Oshkosh Correctional Institution to WIsconsin's Supermax in Boscobel, the Secure Program Facility in Boscobel. While judges can make a recommendation on placement, only Wisconsin Department of Correction officials can actually transfer inmates.

Milwaukee serial killer taskforce announces arrest in prostitute murders

A 49 year old man was arrested by Milwaukee detectives Saturday for the murders and strangulation of 8 women over a 21 year period. Currently charged with the 1st degree murders of 2 women, more 1st degree murder charges are expected against 49 year old Walter E. Ellis, according to officials. Ellis is suspected in murders dating back to 1986, with the victims ranging from age 16 to 41. All eight of these victims were prostitutes. According to Milwaukee Police. A ninth victim was thought to have been killed by someone else after Ellis had sex with her.

Ellis was arrested in a Franklin, WI motel after DNA taken from a toothbrush linked him to the murders. he fled his Northwest Side residence, where he lived with a woman. Having caught wind of the investigation, Ellis struggled before his arrest by Franklin police. Franklin is a suburb about 10 miles south of downtown Milwaukee.

Ellis was caught four months after a taskforce was started after realizing that the same DNA profile was involved in the deaths of 7 women. The taskforce's investigative work is also responsible for progress on other cold cases involving prostitute murders, and has led to arrests in other, unrelated cases.

Terry Williams, the brother of the 41 year old victim, Joyce Mims, murdered on June 20, 1997, said that "We just hated that it had taken so long for them to find her killer, those women's killer. But you know, justice one day is better than no justice at all."

Mims' son, Purvis Mims, now 30, stated that his mother dated Ellis' uncle at the time of her death and that she "probably knew him much better than we did. I always thought that she did know the (killer), because of the environment they found her in. I know she wouldn't have gone in an abandoned house with a stranger, regardless of the circumstances. She probably had a rapport of some fashion with him."

The criminal complaint states that Mims was found nude and dead on June 20, 1997 in a residence on Milwaukee's north side. An autopsy confirmed that Mims was choked to death, and that bruising on her neck showed that there had been a struggle.

Besides Mims, a second victim, 28 year old Ouithreaun Stokes, was found strangled and injured in a way similar to Mims. There was more of a struggle, as blood on a pepper spray can beling to the suspect in the murder. The victim's jacket and shirt was pulled up, and there was blood on the floor near the victim's legs. Stokes was killed on April 27, 2007, barely a half a mile away from where Mims was murdered. DNA from both murders were linked to each other a few months after Stokes' murder.

Police officials have said they think someone else killed one of those victims, Jessica Payne, a white 16-year-old runaway whose throat was slashed. The other victims, all prostitutes and African-American, were strangled.

The State Crime Laboratory processed DNA found on two dozen slain prostitutes to see if there is a match with Ellis and discovered two other hits - on Irene Smith, 25, killed in 1992, and Carron D. Kilpatrick, 32, killed 1994, authorities said Monday. Both women were strangled.

Other victims linked to Ellis are Shelia Farrior, 37, strangled in 1995; Tanya L. Miller, 19, killed in 1986; Deborah L. Harris, 31, killed in 1986, and Florence McCormick, 28, strangled in 1995.

A task force of local, state and federal law enforcement was convened and in three months it received 193 tips, Flynn said last month. Some suspects were interviewed and ruled out.

Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm said Monday evening he anticipates more homicide charges to be filed against Ellis in the other slayings in the next day or so.

"We intend to bring justice to these victims and their families," said Chisholm.

Ellis has a criminal record consisting of violent and property offenses. Though all Wisconsin felons must submit DNA samples, the law requiring this was not in effect in 1998, when Ellis went to prison for recklessly endangering safety, serving three out of five years. No victims from the serial killer were killed between 1998 and 2006.

(Update 9-9-09) Ellis was being held on $1 million bond after being arraigned earlier today. Milwaukee County District Attorney John T. Chisholm requested such a high bond based on the severity of the criminal charges and Ellis' prior record. Alejandro Lockwood stated that he wanted his client to have a $50,000 bail because "there's no way on this planet that (Ellis) can raise that amount of bail."

Ellis' preliminary hearing is set for September 23.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has an article about mistakes made that kept Ellis' DNA off of DNA databases even though it was taken from him back in 2001 when he was in the Oshkosh Correctional Center for the recklessly endangering safety conviction. While state records show that the DNA sample was taken, Justice Department records do not show receipt of Ellis' DNA samples, and neither did a Texas contractor.

Staff did collect the sample, and the samples were mailed out for processing," [Wisconsin Corrections spokesman John]Dipko said. "In terms of documentation, there is nothing inconsistent about it."

"In our institutional experience, this is the first time we've seen something like this," [Special Assistant Attorney General Kevin]St. John said of the confusion over Ellis' sample. "If it was happening more often, it would be concerning."

The Journal-Sentinel article also has more information on Ellis' past criminal convictions and contacts with authorities.